Hydratable substance-containing single service drinking receptacle



Sept. 1, 1970 T, P, KALOGRls 3,526,316

HYDRA'I'ABLE SUBSTANCE-CONTAINING SINGLE SERVICE DRINKING RECEP TACLE Filed Aug. 8. 1968 Fig./

//0 Fig. 2

32 32 1 Fig.3 24 /2 Fig. 4

Theodore P. Ka/ogris 1N VENTOR United States Patent 3,526,316 HYDRATABLE SUBSTANCE-CONTAINING SINGLE SERVICE DRINKING RECEPTACLE Theodore P. Kalogris, P.O. Box 30025, Bethesda, Md. 20014 Filed Aug. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 751,225 Int. -Cl. B65d 85/70 US. Cl. 20647 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A single service container containing a premeasured amount of hydratable concentrate for the preparation of a dentifrice solution, coffee, cocoa, etc., upon introduction of water into the drinking receptacle. Thesidewall of the receptacle, adjacent the lower portion thereof, is provided with inwardly struck portions which maintain the bottoms of the nested cups spaced sufficiently, in a positive manner, whereby contact of the underside of one cup against the hydratable dentifrice, etc., in the cup immediately beneath is precluded.

The present invention relates generally to a paper drinking receptacle having a premeasured amount of water-hydratable dentifrice, etc., therein and more particularly to a single service drinking receptacle which is primarily adapted for utilization by a patient in the ofiice of a dentist whereby the necessity for maintaining separate supplies of cups and dentifrice, either hydratable or liquid, is precluded.

Numerous hydratable substance-containing receptacles have been provided heretofore. However, such prior art articles are somewhat less than satisfactoryifor the particular utility for which the article of the present invention is specifically intended. More particularly, for the purpose intended herein the single service hydratable substance-containing drinking receptacle must be capable of being economically manufactured, have good wet-strength without requiring costly fabrication procedures, and provide positive means for precluding contact of the underside of one cup, in nested relation, with a premeasured amount of particulate or tableted hydratable substance contained in the bottom portion of the cupimmediately therebeneath. In addition, the foregoing must be provided in a cup that can be dispensed from conventional manual dispensing receptacles conventionally utilized, such as provided in conjunction with dental treatment consoles, for example.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dentifrice-containing single service drinking receptacle highly suited for the provision of a portion of mouthwash for a person undergoing dental treatment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction for a hydratable substance-containing single service drinking receptacle provided with means for positively spacing the bottom walls of adjacent nested cups wherein such spacing means is not provided by means associated with, or adjacent to, the upper rim or lip of a receptacle.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction for a hydratable substancecontaining single service drinking receptacle of unitary construction which has suflicient rigidity, in use, without requiring an undue number-0f manufacturing procedures which would unduly increase the unit cost of such a drinking receptacle.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel hydratable substance-containing single service drinking receptacle having a predetermined amount of a conventional hydratable substance, i.e.

mouthwash, composition secured to the upper surface of adhesive.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hydratable substancecontaining single service drinking receptacle embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged medial vertical crosssectional view taken through two nested hydratable substance-containing single service drinking receptacles as illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the single service drinking receptacle, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, showing details pertaining to a top spacing means comprising a significant aspect of the present invention as well as the edible adhesive means for securing a tablet of hydratable substance therein; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view, somewhat similar to that of FIG. 3, wherein the tablet of hydratable substance has been replaced by a particulate hydratable substance secured therein by a coating of water-soluble edible adhesive on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the cup.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, a single service drinking receptacle, such as containing a hydratable dentrifrice substance, embodying the principles of the present invention is indicated generally at 10 which comprises a cup, for purposes of illustration only, formed of conventional paper stock with a unitary flat blank. Alternatively, the cup can be formed of synthetic plastic material, starting with sheet or particulate material. The receptacle 10 is formed in conventional cup-making machinery with an unpleated bottom wall -12, pleated frustoconical sidewall 14 and an outwardly flared downwardly and inwardly rolled lip portion 16 which rigidities the upper edge portion of the sidewall 14. The aforedescribed structure is that conventionally found heretofore in single service drinking receptacles, such as of 3 ounce avoir. to 4 ounce avoir. capacity utilized by dentists for the reception of clear water or mouthwash solution to be utilized by a dental patient for rinsing of the oral cavity during the course of a dental treatment.

The receptacle 10 includes a predetermined amount of a conventional hydratable substance, i.e., mouthwash, gargle, etc., indicated generally at 20. In FIGS. 1-3 it will be seen that the dentifrice composition consists of a tablet 22 secured to the upper surface of the bottom wall 12 by means of a partial, as in FIG. 2 or a complete, as in FIG. 3, coating of a water-soluble edible adhesive substance indicated generally at 24 such as comprising sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum, gum arabic, etc. applied to the bottom of the cup and having the tablet 22 secured thereto prior to drying of the adhesive coating 24. In FIG. 4 it will be seen that the dentifrice 20 comprises a predetermined amount of a particulate composition as indicated at 26 adhered to the upper surface of the bottom wall 12 by the water-soluble edible adhesive substance 24 forming a layer across the entire bottom of the receptacle 10 and wherein the dentifrice composition 26 is applied to the upper surface of the adhesive substance 24 prior to the setting or drying thereof. It will be understood that the amounts of dentifrice 20 provided in the receptacle 10 is the proper amount required for the preparation of a reasonably full cup of reconstituted dentifrice within the receptacle 1 0.

A significant feature of the hydratable substance-containing single service drinking receptacle 10 of the present invention resides in the provision of means, indicated generally at 30, for positively spacing the bottom wall portions 12 of adjacent nested cups, as seen best in FIG. 2, whereby the bottom wall 12 of an uppermost cup is maintained out of contact with the hydratable dentifrice contained in a cup 10 therebeneath. More particularly, the spacing means 30 comprises a plurality of inwardly struck dimples 32 adjacent the lower portion of the cup and spaced upwardly from the bottom wall portion 12 a distance suflicient to insure that a cup inserted therein is positively precluded from being inadvertently nested with the bottom wall 12 of one cup contacting the dentifrice composition 20 in a container therebeneath, which can cause dislodgment of some of the dentifrice 20 with the attendant adherence of the dentifrice to the underside of the uppermost cup which is of course a highly undesirable and unsatisfactory condition. It is significant that the dimples 32, of which a minimum of two must be provided, are provided adjacent the bottom of the receptacle 10, as opposed to providing spacing means adjacent the lip of the receptacle as provided heretofore as indicated in the foregoing discussion of the prior art. The lower portion of the frustoconical wall 14 adjacent the bottom 12 is better suited to resist outward deformation whereby a receptacle provided with the means 30 is better able to maintain the spaced apart relation of the bottom wall portions 12 of adjacent nested cups in the face of inadvertent jamming of the cups during packaging, handling, storage and dispensing just prior to use. In practice, it has been found that the contiguous surface or line contact of the cups adjacent the inner periphery of the lip affords suflicient sealing of the interior of the cups against premature degradation of the dentrifrice composition 20 by water naturally present in the ambient surroundings. In this regaid during packaging of the cups the uppermost cup in a series of nested cups generally comprises an empty cup without dentifrice composition 20 therein.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that utilization of the dentifrice, i.e. hydratable substance-containing single service drinking receptacle 10, nestingly received in a generally vertically disposed bottom with drawal manual dispenser receptacle, merely requires withdrawal of the bottommost receptacle 10 followed by the introduction of water therein, as is conventionally accomplished by manual placement of the receptacle 10 beneath the water dispensing nozzle of a dental console and wherein almost instantaneously under the influence of the stream of water the dentifrice 20' as well as the adhesive substance 24 is hydrated to provide a dentifrice solution without the necessity of having to separately prepare, store and dispense a mouthwash solution, etc. into an empty receptacle.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A single service hydratable substance-containing receptacle comprising a generally frusto-conical open top cup formed of a unitary blank of sheet material and having a generally smooth bottom wall portion, vertically pleated frustoconical sidewall portion and an outwardly flared lip portion terminating in a downwardly and inwardly rolled bead, a hydratable substance secured to the upper surface of said bottom wall portion by a watersoluble edible adhesive substance, and spacing means provided in said frusto-conical sidewall portion adjacent the bottom thereof and spaced upwardly from said bottom wall portion at an elevation above the hydratable substance for maintaining an identical successively nested receptacle with the bottom wall portion thereof spaced from said hydratable substance, said spacing means provided in said frusto-conical sidewall portion comprising at least two generally diametrically opposed inwardly struck dimples, said dimples projecting inwardly a sufficient distance to preclude movement of the bottom wall portion of a successively nested identical receptacle downwardly therepast.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said hydratable substance comprises a dentifrice composition in tableted form with the periphery of the tablet spaced inwardly of the sidewall portion.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said hydratable substance comprises a dentifrice composition in fluent particulate form.

4. A single service hydratable substance-containing receptacle comprising a generally frusto-conical open top cup having a generally flat bottom wall portion and a frusto-conical sidewall portion, a hydratable substance secured to the upper surface of said bottom wall portion by a water-soluble edible adhesive substance, and spacing means provided in said frusto-conical sidewall portion adjacent the bottom thereof and spaced upwardly from said bottom wall portion at an elevation above the hydratable substance for maintaining an identical successively nested receptacle with the bottom wall portion thereof spaced from said hydratable substance, said spacing means provided in said frusto-conical sidewall portion comprising at least two generally diametrically opposed inwardly struck dimples, said dimples projecting inwardly a suflicient distance to preclude movement of the bottom wall portion of a successively nested identical receptacle downwardly therepast.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,247,678 11/ 1917 Hentschel. 2,972,406 2/1961 Mayer. 3,227,273 1/ 1966 Syverson et al. 3,252,803 5/1966 Belasco. 3,441,173 4/1969 Edwards.

FOREIGN PATENTS 530,975 8/1954 Belgium.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 206; 229-15 

